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Monday, 25 May 2015

Colouring Banda Street 2015

Carrying on with the theme of SG50 and the artworks decorating Singapore HDB areas, another community to get involved has been Kreta Ayer 'Chinatown'. Here the Kreta Ayer Residents committee got together with the help of PricewaterhouseCoopers and using support from the SG50 Celebration Fund decorated the Banda Street HDBs and shops. They might not set the art world alight but they get people talking and brighten up otherwise drab walls.So today I took a short bus ride to take a look......Entering from block 335 China Complex the bridge across is the first one I found decorated.

Springtime in Banda

'Spring is a time for celebration. As depicted by blooming flowers, it signifies new beginnings that are full of hope and happiness. Oriental-looking cherry blossoms are illustrated along with local birds (like sparrow and yellow oriole) to add vibrancy to the neighborhood'.

Bridge over Calm Waters

'This mural is in honour of those who have remained calm and resilient through tough times and hardships of life. A turtle is depicted to symbolise longevity and nine koi fish to symbolise prosperity, The number nine in Chinese belief signifies 'permanence'.

Back Lane

Sadly these 2 were hidden behind boxes and racking. 'multi-generation families used to live under one roof in the past. These 2 murals (in fact 1 mural but I had to split to get the whole picture in) depicts a grandmother and her grandchildren standing outside their house where she is seen pasting a red piece of paper with the word "fu" (which means "good luck" in Mandarin) on the wall her young ones look on earnest. This is a tradition in many Chinese households even up till today. The grandfather playing the er-hu (a Chinese instrument) next to them watches on happily as his family prepares for New Year'

Welcome to our world

'Samui women, together with the coolies, contributed to Singapore's development. They broadly refer to a group of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore between the 1920s and the 1940s in search of construction and industrial jobs, and were identifiable by the trademark red cloth hats that they wore. Known to be fiercely independent, resilient and hardworking, they embody qualities of a nation Singapore strives to be.The Aranda Lee Kuan Yew and Vanda Kwa Geok Choo orchids are also illustrated here in remembrance of the country's founding father Mr Lee Kwan Yew and his wife, Mdm Kwa Geok Choo (who passed away in 2015 and 2010 respectively). The Tanjong Pagar GRC was originally led by former Minister Mentor Lee who was Singapore's first prime minister from 1959 to 1990'.

The Cool Dude

'A coolie was a term for an unskilled labourer during the 19th and 20th century. They were mainly from southern China or the Indian subcontinent, and formed the early backbone of Singapore's labour force. These impoverished immigrants came to Singapore seeking a better life but served instead as indentured, unskilled labourers. They were employed in almost every sector of work including construction work, plantation work, in ports and mines and as rickshaw pullers. They were as resilient as Samsui women and generated growth for Singapore's economy in the past.

Our Past, Present and Future

'Samui woman and Skylines are the reflections of Our Past, Present & Future. The juxtaposition of the past with the present brings to bear the relevance of the spirit of tenacity embodies by the Samsui women that will lead Singapore into a better place'.

Everybody is King Fu Fighting

'Two men in their respective Tai Chi poses face each other. The water and the rocks in a natural setting add up to invoke a sense of 'balance' - the Yin and the Yang - making Singapore a harmonious place to live in.

Little Guilin

'Builing on the theme of nature, painting Little Guilin was a natural choice with the lake and the trees in abundance. Various activities one can enjoy at this scenic location include fishing, exercising, cycling, or simply just strolling in the park. Childhoods of the past were carefree and stress-free. Children would run freely playing catch, and line their own chairs to watch outdoor plays and Chinese operas. they played and visited each others' homes without being invited, and would play hide-and-seek amongst wild Lalang fields. It was definitely something worth reminiscing'.

Tai Chi Uncle

'Tai Chi Chuan, or 'Supreme Ultimate Force' when translated from Chinese is the main exercise for the elderly in Singapore. This old gentleman beneath the tree in the shade is keeping himself busy and fit by ding what he does best in the mornings.- Tai Chi. He can be a 'part of them' and serve as a daily reminder to the elderly folk to keep their precise regime going for as long as possible'.

The path to peace and serenity

'The main concept behind this mural is to grow old gracefully and stay active while still being close to nature. A picturesque countryside kampong scene is depicted with flowers along both sides of a winding path. It leads to a waterfall in the distance and has a guesthouse for travellers to rest at night after a long day's journey. The next scene portrays two cyclists peddling through the lanes to another village. As cows (not in photo but seen in the one below) roaming freely were a common sight in the past, the street was therefore named 'Buffalo Street'. Two cows are painted to relive this memory along with that of the Indian milkman with his cow journeying the village streets each morning'.

The way we were

'The large tree on the right is a durian tree and sugar canes grow abundantly at the front of the house. As such housing factitious no longer exist, this depicts how people used to live and what Singapore looked like in the past. It also serves a a message to the generation to continue working hard and reminding ourselves of how far we've come'.

Ageing gracefully

'As the saying goes, health is wealth. With an increasing ageing population, active ageing is the new way of life. An elderly woman exercising is painted to showcase the older generation partaking in various social/physical activities'.

Chess Mates

'Playing Chinese chess is another common past time especially amongst the male community. A common sight even until today, it is a game which enjoyed by all and transcends age, race and culture. It fosters friendship and stimulates the mind as well'.

Grandma & I

'Actual small windows and air-conditioners sit on this wall panel at the extreme far end. Instead of painting over it, a scene of single house with a large window overlooking the street below is depicted. In this window, there sits a grandma peering out. Beside her is a curious six-year-old girl peeking out and wondering what her grandma is looking at. Whether she is looking at her husband playing chess below, or whether she is just taking rest and resigned to her fate of being a domesticated wife is left to the viewer's imagination'.

The Window

'The idea was to portray a large house as houses in the past were spacious like the one Grandma used to live in. It has spacious rooms and a large kitchen with aluminium awnings that made a lot of noise when they had to be drawing. Flowers were included to add some colours to the old building with paint that seemed to have peeled off the wall'.

Now these were the murals painted to celebrate SG50 but as I wandered passed I came across a few that were painted beforehand and felt they should be included as well, after all they are are artwork and are brightening the area up, and they depict many images of Singapore we all are familiar with.